BSY slams K’taka Govt over Form-7 FIRs, warns statewide agitation

CH NEWS, BENGALURU Political tensions in Karnataka escalated sharply as veteran BJP leader and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa launched a scathing attack on the ruling administration, accusing Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of exerting undue political pressure on the state police force. The remarks came in the wake of mounting controversy surrounding the filing of First Information Reports (FIRs) against several BJP workers across multiple districts over alleged irregularities in submitting the Election Commission's Form-7 applications. Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Yediyurappa declared that the systematic harassment and police targeting of opposition party workers would no longer be tolerated. He alleged that law and order in the state has deteriorated as local police machinery has allegedly capitulated to executive pressure to register politically motivated cases. "The filing of FIRs must stop here. Otherwise, we will launch a state-wide agitation," Yediyurappa warned, indicating that the party's central leadership and cadre are prepared to take their protests to the streets if the administrative crackdown persists. Earlier in the day, a high-powered delegation of senior Karnataka BJP leaders—comprising former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka, State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra, and legislative council member Chalavadi Narayanaswamy—formally met with Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP) Salim at his headquarters in Bengaluru. During the closed-door meeting, the opposition leaders submitted a detailed memorandum urging the state police chief to immediately halt the registration of what they termed "false and politically orchestrated" FIRs against party workers. The delegation argued that Form-7 is a legitimate statutory instrument provided under electoral rules to verify electoral rolls, and contesting or filing objections through standard administrative channels cannot automatically be criminalized. "If the Form-7 applications submitted by our workers are correct, the Election Commission should accept them; if they contain errors, they should be rejected. Why are police cases being slapped on party workers simply to appease the Chief Minister?" Yediyurappa questioned, emphasizing that as a national political entity, the BJP will not remain a silent spectator to the intimidation of its grassroots cadre.